Backstrom feels that he, other top players should set the tone

By
Katie Carrera

For the number of ups and downs the Capitals have experienced throughout the season, and for dealing with the frustration of playing well one period and letting up on the gas the next, the players know that if they can find a way to put it all together none of it will matter.

So the question turns to how do they manage to assemble things simultaneously, and who leads the charge?

In talking about how to minimize or eliminate the fluctuating level of play Thursday, Nicklas Backstrom said some of the burden must fall on his and the Capitals' other star players shoulders.

"I think that comes from me, myself and a couple other players," Backstrom said. "At the beginning of a period, game we have to get some shifts in the other team's zone, get things going. I think if we do that then everybody follows. We haven't been doing that too much and that's why this happens. It's a little bit frustrating too. You're always trying to do your best out there [and give] 100 percent, but sometimes it doesn't go your way and it's frustrating."

The most irritating part of the inconsistencies is the segments of a game where everything goes the way the Capitals want it to. For as important as each contest is growing at this time of the year though, Washington remains in a good position. It's just a matter of making those spurts of strong play translate into a larger success, starting on Friday night against Tampa Bay.

"We know we have it, we just have to show it," Backstrom said. "I think [playing like they did in the first against Montreal] is what we're looking for. We have been up and down for the whole season but we're still in a good spot right now. If we just get things together it can be a great team. I think we can do great things."

I'm still curious. If he was so iffy for making the trip, I'm surprised one of the other guys (say Knuble) didn't also practice on the 2nd line. In reading the tea leaves based on practice lines, a line with a extra guy, especially a guy who doesn't belong there, indicates a scratch.

I know - glass is half full - but this is exactly what players on Philly and Boston were saying last year and eventually everyone got motivated.

Its good to hear a player though admit that a) they have been letting up and that is bad and b) certain players have the ability to set the tone and need to do that better.

Like alcoholics anonymous - must admit the problem first before it can be fixed....all that other stuff: the coach, the injuries, the PP, hot goalies, and the change in "system" are convenient excuses.

sgm3 is beaten, but not dead. sgm3, after watching McPhee's "cupcake boys", I'll take those six Flyers finals loses. I want to watch playoff hockey. I want guys who will actually do something on the ice, instead of talk like Backy. Boy Nick, where have you been ? You've been a wall flower all season ! No goals in 7 weeks. Yea, you're "playing angry" with that FAT wallet weighing you down.

Tom, I'm ready to visit Abe's grave. We are still mopping up his mess. The guy really jerked us around as fans. I would love to meet you and Vermont there and let the wizzing begin !!!!!!

Big props to sgm3. Though we disagree often and he can be misguided at times, he's a hardcore fan and his posts can be thought-provoking and enjoyable to read.

Would love to see DJK in the lineup tonite and the Caps make a statement like the way the Bruins did last night. We should go into Tampa w/DJK, Erskine, Brads, Hendricks in the lineup and do our best to bully them right out of their own building. We need to come together like a team, and listening to Andrew Ference last night after the Bruins game illuminated the fact that the Caps don't have a "us against them" mentality....on our team, it's apparently every man for themselves. (Exactly the kind of comraderie a caste system will produce...)

If Rolosson gets too hot, we get DJK on the ice and have him run the bejeezus out of him.

After our top-o-the-line PK kills the major and DJ leaves with a game misconduct, we can double shift out most talented goal scorer, Matt Hendricks, and attack a goalie playing through pain / mental duress.

Cstanton captured GMGM's cell phone number ! Another theory, LL in Jersey decided there was no way he could nominate GM as "GM of the year" this year. McPee needed privacy at that point. (and possibly a decent New Jersey realtor. We can only hope !)

Backy doesn't have a war face. That's one of the reasons we will not "Hoist the big ugly punch bowl" Hate to be so negative, but we're seeing why they lost Gill and the 7 dwarfs. Right now, with the season in the balance, they need motivation ?

Backy doesn't crash the slot. Lip stick pretty passes from the wall are his game.

Semin crashed the slot for a brief period this season, but then realized it was too much work.(Also realized GMGM would sign him any way !)

I must say that I hated Abe as much as anyone but had to feel sorry for the guy towards the end. It really sucks watching someone suffer and deteriorate right in front of your eyes the way he did....so not sure I could participate in the "whiz" event just for that reason.

Thanks for asking about GMGM storming out of the room. I have been looking/waiting for information about this too. The only person to say anything about it was Feinstein, of all people. Nothing about it on this blog or anywhere else. It is pathetic that we have no real reporters in this town who are willing to find facts and tell the public about our hockey team.

Thanks for asking about GMGM storming out of the room. I have been looking/waiting for information about this too. The only person to say anything about it was Feinstein, of all people. Nothing about it on this blog or anywhere else. It is pathetic that we have no real reporters in this town who are willing to find facts and tell the public about our hockey team.

Posted by: CalleJoFan

I agree. With it being mentioned in the Feinstein article I was expecting someone to pick up on it somewhere and find out the answer.

----

If Semin doesn't play tonight then I am starting to think something fishy is going on. He practiced fully for the last 3 or 4 practices which is something that would be unlikely to be done if a player is too injured to play.

Unless he reinjured his groin, it would be strange for him not play. Something just isn't right there.

You're welcome but I'll be somewhat surprised to get an answer. First Katie has to read/hear about the request, second (if it did happen) she has to weigh how much she can annoy the Caps management before they start to impinge on other aspects of her Caps coverage. We'll have to wait and see; for all we know she was the root cause of the alleged incident.

We all are allowed to have our opinions, but seriously, questioning Ted, George, or Bruce's manhood or integrity? Come on.

I do believe Bruce has lost the team re: his message on what he wants.

But, I don't think he stinks as a coach or he doesn't know hockey or that he is gutless...?

George is not any less of a man than when he was an intimidating force in the NHL. He certainly has enough smarts with his law degree and his experience playing and GM'ing in the game. While a move or two should or might have been made, it has nothing to do with his "toughness", "integrity" or "hockey smarts"...

McPhee stormed out bc he got in an agrument with a player or two. That is part of the whole locker room divided thing. Today before the morning skate BB had a private conversation with the Captain in the hallway away from everyone else.

Now this is just a guess as to what it stems from. The Caps do plan on trading Semin. Ovi is not happy about it at all and has voiced his concerns or cried about it and it is dividing the locker room. Some guys in there just want to win, while some guys want to win with their best buddies on the team.

For all we know, GMGM could have just finished talking to the boys (telling them everything will be fine and to avoid reading the CI comment boards a bit longer), went to take a leak before he left the locker room, got distracted by his scarf while performing the zipping up process, and caught a "snag". That would make me storm out of a room pretty angrily myself.

That sounds very logical to me and quite frankly I am very surprised that Semin signed that one year extension if he had any inkling that he was on the trading block. If your scenario is true then Ovie needs to pull his head out and be the Captian of this TEAM.

THERE IS A 0% CHANCE THE CAPS WIN THIS GAME.....ZERO!!!!! why? A) I want them to. B) They have no concept of team play. C) They're as clueless as to their system as BB is. 4-1 Tampa and whoever starts in goal will keep it from being 8-1.

Now this is just a guess as to what it stems from. The Caps do plan on trading Semin. Ovi is not happy about it at all and has voiced his concerns or cried about it and it is dividing the locker room. Some guys in there just want to win, while some guys want to win with their best buddies on the team.

Posted by: ThePat |

The Semin situation is getting very strange with him not playing and apparently fully healthy.

Something definitely is up, maybe the papers from Toronto and Montreal can loan DC a few reporters for a few weeks to figure out this story completely.

I could see Ovie being upset/disappointed about the team trading Semin, and understandably so.

However, he can be upset for a little while but then he has to suck it up and get over it. Unless he wants to retire, which I am almost sure he doesn't.

Ovi is not happy about it at all and has voiced his concerns or cried about it and it is dividing the locker room.
------------------------------
If true, Ovi should not be the captain of the team. The captain is supposed to be a unifying force, able to get more out of the whole than the sum of the parts.

Forward Mike Fisher may want to be more familiar with his own paperwork in the future.

As confirmed by the Ottawa Sun, it turns out Fisher doesn't have a no-movement clause after all. The one he had expired at the end of last season. So, the Ottawa Senators have the freedom to trade the 30-year-old to whomever they like.

But it likely doesn't matter anyway. The Senators don't have any real desire to deal the centerman and that's why they're rumored to be asking for the sun and the moon (high draft pick and a top prospect) in return. Fisher, himself, would prefer to stay in Ottawa and his contract doesn't expire until 2013.

"I know I can't totally control what's going to happen, so I don't get overly concerned about it, but I do want to stay here," said Fisher.

Unless another team makes an offer too rich to turn down, the Senators will still have Fisher in their fold for the rest of this season and beyond.

Tom, I'm ready to visit Abe's grave. We are still mopping up his mess. The guy really jerked us around as fans. I would love to meet you and Vermont there and let the wizzing begin !!!!!!

Posted by: Hunterforcoach | February 4, 2011 8:26 AM

Just bring a 12 pack and you'll have plenty of ammo.

And I'm on board with the, "Why hasn't WaPo gotten to the bottom of McPhee storming out?" But then again, they never explained why Nylander was ostracized so much. Nor have they explained WHIFFGATE!

Katie: Why does Ovechkin keep whiffing on shots and passes and getting pokechecked so easily off the puck? Why does he fall so much? And look so winded on the bench? The answers are at Kettler! You need to break in at 3 am with your flashlights (you can take Lindsay along) and find the answers! Pulitzers await! You just need to explain WHIFFGATE!

Yes, he's the Loser GM.
Hobey Baker award didn't mean squat in those (with all due respect to Hobey Baker), the BA and JD are GREAT accomplishments (Outside of hockey)and that's it.

He should be out of hockey practicing Patent Law, not dealing with people or players, because he's classless and has no clue how to treat others. I know this for a fact but you keep on reading and believing. Oh, and rocdred.

Quit being bandwagon fans--just sit there and root your team on, through the high's AND the low's. I'm a diehard fan...that's what we do. Be a little patient. We haven't lost anything yet. I know it's frustrating, because I'm frustrated too. But I'm not bashing the GM, coach, our stars.

Support our team not bash our players, as one "fan" did earlier in the blog. Yeah, Backie is struggling but if/when he turns it on, you'll be kissing his feet. Remember, when everyone was saying "who cares about the reg. season", or "is it the playoffs yet?".

Fans in this area are becoming really bad--in ALL sports. Thank god I'm an O's fan.

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